Everett Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC)

TAC MINUTES June 21, 2018 In attendance: Members Staff Guests William Weber Tim Miller, Public Works Victor Harris Ryan Sass, Public Works Tyler Rourke Tom Hingson, Transit Richard Smith Tim Morgan, Police Euneka Richards, Public Works Kelsey Svaren, Public Works Meeting called to order at 8:05 a.m. Chaired by Tyler Rourke  M/S/P for May 2018 Minutes. Announcements & Requests to Add Agenda Items  Tom informed the committee that Everett Transit would like to propose the 2019 Service Change Proposal to TAC during the next meeting in July. The proposal is scheduled for presentation at City Council on July 11.  Ryan announced that staff are developing a tickler list to track and log agenda item requests for future meetings.  Tyler expressed concerns about safety for cyclists and pedestrians at the intersection of 41 st Street and Colby Avenue. He asked whether there is a possibility to implement a bicycle specific crossing that could reduce crossing times at busy intersections when needed. He noted that this might be a consideration at the intersection of 41 st Street and Hoyt Avenue, where the City is evaluating a crossing to connect to the Interurban Trail.  A short discussion ensued regarding the safety and practicality of implementing cyclist only crossing signals without a corresponding pedestrian movement. Engineering staff stated that they would do some research about the feasibility of implementing cyclist exclusive crossing signals within Everett. Citizen’s Comments  None Engineering Report  Ryan announced that the US-2 Interchange Justification Report with WSDOT and the City of Lake Stevens has been completed. He plans to show it to TAC once it is published. This report provides a roadmap of improvements at the east end of trestle. He noted that the projects identified in the report will allow the City to start an initiative to replace the entire westbound trestle. Ryan noted that the City is currently seeking funds to complete a similar interchange justification report for the west end of the trestle.  Ryan listed a number of other projects that the City of Everett is participating in as a stakeholder, or pursuing grant funding:  o Improvements along the SR 526 corridor. o Peak traffic shoulder use and interchange improvements on I-5 from Marine View Dr to SR 528 in Marysville. o Non-motorized vehicle improvements along SR 529 between Marysville and Everett. o Expanding 100th Street SW from Evergreen Way to Airport Road to three lanes of traffic, including sidewalks and bike lanes. o Implementing a bicycle safety project from 41st Street to Madison that will run parallel to and west of Evergreen Way. o Three safe routes to school projects around Madison Elementary School. o Citywide bicycle wayfinding signs. o Four different pedestrian safety projects. o Four general safety projects.  Tyler noted that there is a spot at the east end of the westbound trestle with a no cycling sign right next to the bicycle lane when traveling east. He asked for clarification. Ryan said that traffic engineering could look at it and refer to WSDOT. Police Report  Sergeant Morgan introduced himself to TAC as the new Traffic Sergeant for EPD, taking over after the retirement of Sergeant Ken Dorn. He informed the committee that EPD will focus heavily on pedestrian enforcement during the summer months. This specific operation will target drivers and pedestrians who violate crossing laws. The Police will concentrate on areas with the most severe problems to reduce injuries and accidents within the City.  Councilman Bader expressed concern to Sergeant Morgan regarding the difficulty of incentivizing people who are violating crossing laws on a regular basis. He asked Sergeant Morgan about his thoughts on enforcing repeat offenders. Sergeant Morgan acknowledged that it is a tricky situation and that EPD will utilize all the tools provided to them by the State. Transit Report  Tom informed the committee that City Council approved the Long Range Plan on May 30. The Long Range Plan will inform Transit’s actions over the next 20 years, with plans to update it every five years to reflect changes and adjustments within the department. When implemented, The Plan is intended to help Transit grow over the coming years.  Transit will provide a copy of the Transit Development Plan in August for recommendations and edits. The revised copy of the Plan will go to City Council and then the State on September 1. There are no major changes from last year, other than vehicle procurement and re-aligning service routes to maximize resources.  The North Broadway Transit Improvement Project Transit has reached 90% design stage. They are currently working to make sure the scope of the project fits within the $3M budget. While the focus of this project is safety improvements, Transit is looking equip the shelters with the capability for future enhancements, such as solar power.  A short discussion ensued regarding elements of the North Broadway Transit Improvement Project that were value engineered out due to budget restrictions and the necessity of other components that are still included in the plan.  Tom also updated the committee regarding the 80-stall park and ride expansion in South Everett, which is currently 60% designed. Transit received a grant from the State of Washington for this project; construction will begin in July 2019.   Lastly, Tom informed the committee that Everett Transit has received one electric bus from Proterra with three others scheduled for delivery in 2019. Tom noted that Everett Transit’s forecast shows that they could have a complete fleet of electric busses by 2028 and will keep TAC updated regarding the ongoing project. Agenda Items: Item 1: ADA Element; Accessible Pedestrian Signals – Informational Briefing – Euneka Richards  The purpose of this presentation from Euneka was two-fold. First, she explained the requirement to install new Accessible Pedestrian Signals (APS) as a part of the North Broadway Transit Improvement Project. Second, Euneka gave a brief overview regarding the functionality of APS.  Euneka and Ryan both noted that a major challenge of complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is that the Public Right of Way Accessibility Guidelines (PROWAG) document they must follow is still in draft form. PROWAG is constantly in flux, meaning that the city must follow the most updated version of the draft, which can be costly and time consuming on a year-to-year basis. When a City project involves pavement improvement or modification, they are required to update pedestrian crossing signals in accordance with the most current draft of PROWAG. Several signals along the Broadway corridor will be upgraded with APS as a part of the North Broadway Transit Improvement Project.  Euneka noted that approximately 27% of crossing signals within the City of Everett are APS. These signals include the following features: o Pushbutton locator tone that is required to be audible either 6-12’ from the pushbutton or from nearest building. o Vibrotactile arrow on the pushbutton that points in the direction of travel and vibrates on walk interval. o Audible walk phase indication o Automatic volume adjustment in response to ambient traffic noise  Euneka informed the committee that APS are significantly more costly than non-accessible pushbuttons.  Adjourned at 9:51 am Next Scheduled Meeting: July 19, 2018